I’m going to go against my better judgement and outline some goals here on Chasing Down a Dream. Not just a race calendar for the year, but actual goals for 2012. Then I suppose I can put two and two together and start trying to really knock ’em dead. Plus you all can then hold me accountable.

1. Finish a Half Ironman Distance triathlon. I don’t think I’ve been very quiet about the fact that this is to be the A goal for 2012. I was to pick the race, train properly and finish the crap out of it. But I’d like to also do so not feeling like poo. I’d love to finish it and finish it strong. (With all these times saying Finish it, I sort of feel like the guy from the dojo in Karate Kid yelling “finish him.”)

2. Speedwork. I’ve done small bouts of speed work here and there. Nothing formalized and nothing consistent. This year, I aim to actually get faster so I’m going to have to actually do speed work. I will force myself to be out of my comfort zone and enjoy it.

3. Run a 25:00 minute or faster 5K and a two-hour half marathon. This piggy backs right off of #2. But if we don’t put it in numbers, then there’s nothing to really work for. So that’s it. 25 minutes or faster and 2 hours or faster. Done.

4. Start and Finish the 100 Pushup challenge. I know this is cheesy, but I want to do this. I’ve started a couple of times but then always forget about it and never get even half way through. I want to dominate this program!

5. Start Fueling My Body. This is not the obligatory new years diet. This is a life style change. I already eat relatively healthy food, but there are a couple of things here. One thing is that I just eat too much in general. I’m not always hungry so much as bored. And two is that I do indeed eat some not so good for you food. I went on a peanut butter m&m binge most recently. I always shrug it off with well, I run a lot. Listen people…. I don’t run that much. Anyway, the point here is that I want to start treating the food like fuel and being more cognizant of what goes in and making better choices.

6. Cook and grow more food! This really goes hand in hand with number 5. If I can get back to a place in my life where I’m cooking and growing more of my own food it will certainly be of better quality. I’ve struggled in the past year for various reasons. Some of them have to do with time, some of them have to do with space because when you live in an apartment with no yard it’s impossible to have a garden. But 2012 is the year of trying harder and thinking outside the box. So I intend to do so and get back on the cooking and growing food bandwagon. No more short cuts. Period.

7. Do one new thing each month with C-man. We’ve already started doing this a little bit. We tried ice skating and we’re signing up for basketball. I’d like to do at least one new thing each month even if it’s nothing major. We need to experience all that life has to offer and have as much fun as possible.

8. Refind my routine. So many things in this past year have sort of upended my routine. I need to re-establish one. Even if it is new and different. I need to set it and stick to it. C functions better on routine and so do I. We just need to make it happen.

9. Like me, who I am and stop apologizing for it. Period. Not explanation needed.

10. Surround myself with only good people, good mojo and good things. I’ve had my bumps with a lot of people over the last year. My life has changed dramatically since my divorce and so has little C’s. We’re adjusted. I don’t apologize for who I am, where I’ve been or where I’m going. If you can’t deal, don’t. Period. I’ll surround myself with those who can. And those who support us, encourage us and share in the mojo!

I have a lot of other goals that I could list out, but these are the big ones. This at least gives me a steady starting point. I can move forward from here and check back in on where I am. Let’s see how 2012 plays out!